Akazi Kanoze empowers youth with job skills

Akazi Kanoze’s work is inspiring a self-reliant generation through access to skills, empowerment and access to economic opportunities for the youth. After the youth successfully complete the work readiness training which provides them with market-relevant employability skills, they beneficiate transition to work services namely internships, job shadowing, apprenticeship and small businesses. Armed with the Akazi Kanoze package, students graduate with the ability to significantly contribute to the economic development of their communities and country by entering the workforce as skilled employees and creating jobs as passionate entrepreneurs. 

MAJOR RESULTS

MORE THAN 20,000 YOUTHS PREPARED FOR WORK

Beginning in 2009 as a USAID-funded project implemented by EDC, the AkaziKanoze work readiness training has successfully prepared 20,000+ youth for work. These youths have come together to develop the work and life skills necessary to become productive citizens with life-long livelihood opportunities.

2,500 NEW BUSINESSES CREATED

Across Rwanda, the AkaziKanoze method has been used to start nearly 2,500 new businesses in sectors from agro-processing to computer repair. Many employed youths also participate in Income-Generating Activities (IGAs) or participate in savings groups with their fellow AkaziKanoze graduates.

65% EMPLOYMENT RATE

AkaziKanoze enables youth to ensure their skills are market-relevant and up-to-date. More than 65% of youth are employed six months after graduation, either running their own business or at a Rwandan company. AkaziKanoze graduates report income nearly twice the national average.

"We are more innovative now and have created new businesses and improved the business we had before.” —Vincent

*In 2015, AKAZI KANOZE ACCESS, was formed as a Rwandan NGO to continue carrying out and expanding the services offered by the EDC AKAZI KANOZE Youth Livelihoods project. The official launching ceremony of its activities on July 26^th 2016 at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village (Camp Kigali).

JULLIET SUCCESS STORY:

An idea is enough to start

NyirangendahimanaJulliet is a graduate from the ECD program run by the AkaziKanoze project in the past. Julliet was trained on the AkaziKanoze flagship program of Work readiness and a technical training in Early Childhood Development.

Before joining the AkaziKanoze program, Julliet had started an ECD center to help keep young children in her neighborhood occupied while their parents went out to work. She showed skills and was devoted to work but demonstrated a lack of experience is some key areas in the management of her center. She then decided to join the AkaziKanoze program and benefited like 20,000 youth as per today of the Work Readiness Curriculum.

Julliet decides to take the AkaziKanoze program

She thought she ran the center pretty well until she was trained by AkaziKanoze. Julliet learnt that her previous behavior was not in line with the standards in her area as she noticed that she had been hard on the kids, punishing them for playing. She was taught that playing can be a useful tool to children in their learning process.

"I learnt to treat children as children and deal with all sorts of personalities in parents.”

Benefits of the AkaziKanoze program

The program enabled her to increase her enrollment and revenues in return. The growing numbers forced Julliet to open 2 other centers with over 100 children between the ages of 3 and 6 and she now employs 3 other former classmates. Despite the challenges Julliet continues to face especially due to limited classroom space and materials, she is doing quite well and it optimistic about the future.